


A Hope to Save Him

by ashitanoyuki



Series: The Tower [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Class Issues, D&D Elements, Dystopia, Gladiators, Other, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-26 02:23:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20036332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashitanoyuki/pseuds/ashitanoyuki
Summary: Allura may have no love for The Tower, but she'd be damned if she would let this poor boy be tortured.





	A Hope to Save Him

She'd never liked Lotor, but this was a new low.

  
Usually, the arrogant nobleman was content to take his newest pets on a whim and lock them away in his dungeon for the rest of their miserable days. Allura didn't like it, but honestly, half of the rest of the nobility was just as vile, just as cruel. Allura herself had taken only one pet in her life; she hadn't wanted to, but upon learning of Coran's fate, she couldn't leave him to languish on Level Two, where magic users were enslaved as batteries for the whole tower, drained until they dropped dead – not when he'd gone in her stead, to protect her – not when she'd learned that her father's best friend had taken the fall for the spike of magical energy when she, as a child, had thrown a fit and poured out her forbidden magic in childlike petulance. Coran stood beside her now in the stadium of the arena, waiting for the next match to begin. He didn't have to be there – she awarded him as much freedom and dignity as she could – but he tended to insist on staying by her side.

  
Lotor, it seemed, was not allowing his newest pet that luxury, nor even the small mercy of allowing the boy to hide away in the privacy of his wretched dungeon.

  
The half-galra boy was small, in comparison to Lotor. Allura vaguely recognized him, which made sense; Lotor did like to take his pickings from gladiators slated for death – Allura had likely seen some of the boy's matches. He trembled, seated beside Lotor with his hands clenched in his lap, flinching when Lotor laid a hand on his shoulder and leaned to whisper something in his ear. Monster.

  
“Princess,” Coran said quietly. “You must get yourself under control.”

  
“You are seeing what I'm seeing?” Allura hissed. “Has he no shame?! Taking a boy to the very arena where he was nearly executed? It's cruel!”

  
“I don't believe Lotor is known for his kindness,” Coran said grimly. “In all truth, the boy is lucky to be alive still.”

  
Allura watched as the boy shrank away from Lotor, curling as far away from his master as he could without falling from his seat. “Is he, do you think?”

* * *

She approached Lotor immediately after the match, a fight that resulted in the disembowelment of a large orc woman. Death matches were never her favorite, but she needed to keep up appearances by attending arena fights, and resources were too thin to keep all fighters alive. Lotor, it appeared, had no such distaste, staring pensively at the stain of gore on the sandy ground.

  
She cleared her throat, and Lotor looked up, surprised. “Allura,” he said cordially, inclining his head.

  
“Lotor,” she returned, forcing civility into her voice. “You're looking well.”

  
“As are you,” Lotor replied. He rose from his seat, looming over Allura. His pet scrambled to follow, shoulders hunching; he seemed to be attempting to make himself smaller. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  
In response, Allura gestured to the shrinking boy. Lotor raised his eyebrows. “Keith?” he said skeptically.

  
The boy's head shot up, and he stared at Allura with unmitigated terror. Allura hid a wince – she hadn't meant to scare the boy.

  
“I find him interesting,” she said carefully. “Such an odd mixture of galra and human - it's charming. I don't suppose you'd be willing to negotiate a sale?”

  
Lotor's lips thinned, and Keith looked like he was about to faint. “I don't sell my pets,” Lotor said coldly. “Find him as charming as you like – I don't care if others covet what I have. No one else will ever have him.”

  
Allura clenched her fists. Possessive bastard. “I assure you, I intend to be quite generous,” she said, her eyes fixed on the boy. She couldn't make out any obvious signs of abuse, but that didn't mean it wasn't hidden.

  
“Your generosity, while appreciated, will not be accepted.” Lotor clicked his tongue. “We're done here. Keith! With me.”

  
Allura grit her teeth with frustration as she watched them go, Keith stumbling reluctantly after Lotor. Okay, so this was going to present a challenge.

  
But under no circumstances could she leave that boy to Lotor.

**Author's Note:**

> I've plotted out this whole series to Wisttic's approving ear, and one thing we agree on is "holy shit Allura gets hit with so much guilt she doesn't deserve." Due to fic circumstances, Allura is morally grey, but damnit she's doing her best!


End file.
